An approach to the heterogeneity of diabetes in adults

Diabetes mellitus in the adult population consists of a group of etiologically heterogeneous disease processes, the common outcome of which is derangement of carbohydrate metabolism. New knowledge in the areas of insulin receptors, insulin action, glucose transport, pancreatic amylin, and pancreatic autoimmunity is likely to lead to the development of disease-process-specific treatment modalities.